Authority control databases: Artists
Authority control databases: Artists  |
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The Rays were an American group formed in New York City in 1955, and active into the early 1960s.[1] They first recorded for Chess Records. Their biggest hit single was "Silhouettes", a moderately-slow doo-wop piece of pop music that reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957 on Cameo after being initially released on the small XYZ Records.[1] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] The song was written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay, Jr.[2] Also on XYZ, they had a minor hit with "Mediterranean Moon" a mid-chart hit with "Magic Moon" (by this time, XYZ was being nationally distributed by London Records).[citation needed]
They also recorded the original version of "Daddy Cool",[1] which was used as part of a medley with Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It", for the UK band Darts which made number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977.[3] The song also lent its name to the Australian band Daddy Cool, who recorded the song in 1971.[citation needed]
"Silhouettes" was also released by The Diamonds in 1957 reaching number 10 on the charts and later in a slightly faster cover version by Herman's Hermits in 1965, reaching number 5 on the US chart. It was also covered by Bob Dylan, but still unreleased, from his Basement Tapes sessions in the late 1960s.[citation needed]